Tray and the like



Aug. 19, 1947. A. A. ROBERT TRAY-AND THE LIKE I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed Sept. 11, 1945 F/Gl.

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INVENTOR. ROBERT ATTOQNEV Aug.19,1947. A. A. OBERT I 2,425,952

TRAY AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 11, .1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 INVENTOR.ALA/V ,4. ROBERT Patented Aug. 19, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAYAND THE LIKE Alan A. Robert, West Hollywood, Calif.

Application September 11, 1945, Serial No. 615,609

2 Claims.

This invention relates to means and ways for safely carrying articles,and relates particularly to trays and the like for carrying drinks,food, etc. The invention relates, in a particularity, to pendent typesof trays which hang in pendulum fashion and which have free sway, to andfro in all directions, and which are so constructed and supported thatthings placed upon the tray will not spill or slide along the surfacethereof. The article supporting surface of the tray, the stiif uprightsupporting members, and the flexible connected type of grip, are allrelated in a specific manner, and their sizes are so proportioned, thatthe tray when carried in the manner intended, has a natural swing whichis free of unwanted harmonics or mechanical forces which may jar ordisturb the gravitational stability of the article or articles upon thetray.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to present a new andnovel tray device which is simple and sturdy in construction, easy tokeep sanitary and clean, and which is economical to make andmanufacture.

Another object is to provide tray devices with pendent type means ofsupport while being carried, the relationship of the horizontaldimensions with the vertical dimensions being proportioned to create anatural non-jarring swing as the tray devices are carried for servingtables, bars, etc.

Other objects, advantages and features of my invention will appear fromthe accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description, thepreamble of these specifications and the appended claims.

Applicant is about to illustrate and describe one of the forms of hisinvention in order to teach one how to make and use the same, but it isto be understood that the drawings and description thereof are not tolimit the invention in any sense whatsoever, except as limited by theappended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of one form of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof,

Fig. 3 is a. horizontal section taken substantially along the line 33 ofFig. 1, but enlarged,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the linel-4 of Fig. 1, but enlarged,

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a modified. f rm of the invention,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5,

Fig. '7 is a sectional view, enlarged, of a detail part of Fig. 5,

Fig. 8 is an elevaticnal view of another form of the invention,

Fig. 9 is a plan view of Fig. 8.

The invention, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, comprises a servingsurface or tray element I having the upright rigid or semi-rigidsupporting strips or structural elements 2, 3 and 4, a coupler element5, and a handle or finger grip element 6. The tray element I has theupstanding spaced apart flange members 1, i3 and 9, as shown, for theobvious purpose of providing a positive protective means to preventdishes, glasses, etc., from accidentally leaving the tray element. Thebottom ends of the strips 2 to 4 are curled to provide feet for the trayelement, and the other ends of the strips are curled for ornamentalpurposes and also to provide a convenient place to carry menus, checks,etc.

At the top end of thedevice, where the strips almost join together,there is the central triangular inset or coupling element 5 which hasthe fiat opposed surfaces of the strips bolted or cemented thereto toform a positive and secure joint for all three strip elements. Thecoupling element 5 has a bore It which houses a coiled compressionspring H, and strong cord or flexible metal cable 12 is laced throughthe convolutes of the spring and its top end securely fixed between thelower ends 6 and 6" of the handle 6 by a pin 13, as shown; the top endof the cord or cable may have a suitable Washerlike element M to receivethe pin and thus make a better joint between the cord and the pin. Thelower end of the cord or cable [2 is provided with a suitable head l2 toform a proper stop for the cable against the lower end of the spring.Between the handle 6 and the top of the triangular coupling element 5there is a rounded or cylindrical element [.5 which has the top thereofcemented to the bottom ends of the handle portions 6' and 6" for thepurpose of providing a suitable contact element for the handle ends anda good contact for the coupler element.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '7 comprises a pair oftray elements [6 and I? which are supported upon the central rigid stem18. This stem is fixed to the bottom tray element IS by the screw I9,and the top end of the stem is provided with an inverted cup-liketerminator 29, the depending flanges of which are cemented to the topsides of the stem. The terminator has a chamber 2| therein toaccommodate the knot of the cord or flexible cable 22 3 which passesthrough a small bore 23 in the top wall of the terminator. Laced ontothe cord is a large plastic bead or bored ring 24 adapted to receive thefinger of the person carrying the tray.

The two tray elements l6 and H are separated by a plurality of spacers25 which are fixed to the two tray elements in any suitable manner suchas cementing and/or bolts or screws. The top tray element is providedwith a plurality of openings or holes 26 which are of any suitable sizeto accommodate drinking glasses, bottles, and the like.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9 comprises a trayelement 21 which has its periphery provided with a plurality of strips28 which provide upward and downward flanges for the tray element.Spaced at intervals about the periphery of the tray element are therectangular leg pieces 29 which keep the tray element away from a tablesurface or from whatever the tray element may be placed upon. When thetray element is carried, it is supported by the parabolical shaped frame39, the lower ends of which are cemented and/or screwed to the sides ofthe tray, as shown. At the apex of the frame, it is provided with a pairof holes to provide a means for looping or lacing the cord or flexiblecable 3!, the top end of the cord having a plastic ring 32 with a boretherein to accommodate the cord and also a tie knot 3|.

From the foregoing explanation, it should be obvious that any of thetray devices shown in the drawings can be carried in a dangling mannerso that they can swing in a natural pendulum-like fashion by exercisingsome degree of caution. The parts of the tray devices are made incertain proportional sizes in order to assure proper natural swing whencarried as intended. Note, that in every case, the usable tray elementspace has a diameter not greater than the length of the rigid supporttherefor, that is, the rigid support or supports above all the trayelements have a greater vertical height than the horizontal diameter ofthe usable portion of their respective tray elements. When this relativemeasurement is adhered to, the tray elements have a natural even gentleswing without any noticeable harmonics which tend to cause jarringmotions or any undesirable motions which might tend to cause liquids tospill from glasses and dishes carried upon the tray elements, and also,the table-ware carried upon the tray elements do not slide about andbecome misplaced. This discovery was made by applicant and found to bevery helpful in the design and construction of such tray devices.

Any suitable material may be employed for making the tray elements ofthis invention, such as various metals, plastics, and other moldable andbendable substances, and any combination of them. Also, variousconfigurations may be given the parts of this invention without in anyway lacking the advantages of this invention.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications maybe made in the details of form, style, design and construction of thewhole or any part of the specifically described embodiment of thisinvention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes andmodifications being restricted only by the limitations clearly expressedin the following claims:

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a tray device accessible from its periphery for placing andremoving articles to be carried thereon, a shallow tray element, a bowednarrow and rigid strip having its ends rigidly fixed to opposed sides ofthe tray element and presenting a top central part for attachment to alimp cordlike element, a limp cord-like element fixed to the top centralpart with a finger gripping means at the distal end thereof, .said striphaving a vertical height greater than the maximum dimension of theusable top portion of the tray element.

2. In a tray device adapted to be carried in a pendent manner and whichis accessible from its periphery for placing and removing articles to becarried thereon, a shallow tray element with opposed strips having theirbottom ends fixed rigidly to opposed sides of the tray element, saidstrips having their tops joined together and thus presenting a topcentral part, a limp cord-like element fixed to the top central partwith means presenting a finger grip at the distal end thereof, saidstrips having a vertical height greater than the maximum dimension ofthe usable top portion of the tray element.

ALAN A. ROBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 100,397 Straus July 14, 19361,604,177 Laughlin 1 Oct. 26, 1926 1,781,357 Wolcott NOV. 11, 19301,795,672 Plummer Mar. 10, 1931 1,952,466 Sjodin et al Mar. 27, 19341,972,519 Hasenour Sept. 4, 1934 2,001,438 Stuck May 14, 1935 2,014,745Regli Sept. 17,1935 2,191,837 Thomas Feb. 27, 1940 2,194,024 Kuhn July14, 1940 2,365,914 Stigler Dec. 26, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 241,488 Great Britain Oct. 22, 1925 21,967 Denmark Mar. 21, 1930

